The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-06-27
BADLY NEEDED PROTECTION.
The Urgent Necessity of Better System of
Meat Inspection in indianapolis.

Retail butchers while protesting that they are
far from selling bad meat and would not do SO
under any circumstances say, they must get rid
of what they purchase or lose money. The
trouble with many of them, it is urged, is that
they are not experts in detecting diseased meat.
"They know how to cut up side of beef after a
fashion, butcher explained, ''but when it comes
detecting inferior meat .unles it is very bad,
they do not have the requisite skill. These
butchers who do not fully understand their bust
ness are PRINCIPALLY the ostenslble owners of
small outside shops or small grocers. Two
thirds of the outside shops belong really to the
wholesale butchers, and the meats they DO not
sell to retailers on the market go there. Some
times the meat is bad that 1t is only fit for the
garbage barrel"
'.Wnat profit is there in this inferior meat!'
at is large. and, strange to say 1t causes a
loss to frsr-class butchers. If the bad or in
ferior meat gets into the hands of a retailer,
whether ne knows it to be such or not, he will
do the best he can to get 1t of his hands. He
will sell it from to cents lower than good
meat, which enables him to make fair profit.
after selling the refuse fat at 2 cents pound l
have known o crippled or damaged bullock or
steer to be bought for $40 or $l2 When slaugh-
tered nearly all the fat is cut away and this. with
the hides, gives the wholesaler profit without
selling the meat. The meat, with tae fat gone,
unless expert examines it, shows no sign of its
true condition. 1t COOS to the consumer. and if
there ia complaint it is seldom that any one be-
sldeS the butcher ana purchaser neaF6 anything
of it Unless there Is general complaint,
there is now, the public never knows how much
inferior meat is being supplied. But with only
one meat inspector to attend to the stockyards,
the abattoir, market and outside slaughtering
houses it is impossible to prevent bad beef, pork,
veal and mutton reaching the consumer. There
should be three inspectors at least, one for the
stockyards, another at the abattoir and the
third who should be at the market from :he
time the wholesalers come with their supplies
until the market closes. AS it is now. the in
spector in the same day, must divide his time
between the market house and the abattoir and
occasionally he goes to the stockyards. In ad-
dition to this, he is expected to serve notices to
clean premises. put up and take down cards an
nouncing contagious diseases and do other
things. You the chances for bad meat
reaching the public could not be more open2"
A gentleman, last night in talking about the
meat inspection. added word ia regard TO the
filth of the city. 1.-The Board of Health.
doubt, does we'll as it can" he said. with its
very limited resources. Besides. tbs meat iu-
spector there are but two sanitary policemen to
attend to q city of 100. 900 inhabitants. The
Metropolitan police, under the rules and regula-
tons of the force, are required TO assist in sani
tary inspection. but from the present condition
of the city they do little or nothing. The
sanitary policemen, like the meat Inspector.
have much ground 10 cover. 1t is possible
that il the latter had an assistant two, the
bad meat that went to an uptown shop Satur-